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No. 623,53l. Patented Apr. 25, I899. T. DUNCAN.

MULTIPLE RATE ELECTRIC MEIER.

(Application filed Aug. 15, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheat I.

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No. 623,53l. Patented. Apr. 25, I899.

T. DUNCAN.

MULTIPLE RATE ELECTRII; METER.

(Appliution filed Aug. 16, 1898.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheots-8heet 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS DUNCAN, OF FORT VAYNE, INDIANA.

MULTIPLE-RATE ELECTRIC METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,531, dated April 25, 1899.

Application filed August 15, 1898. Serial 688,576. (No model.)

To (ti/Z 111700771 it may concern:

Be itv known that I, 'lHoMAs DUNCAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort \Vayne, in the county of Allen, in the State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Meters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appcrtains to make and use the same, reference being had to the acoompanying d rawings, which form part of this specilication.

My invention relates to improvements in double-rate motor-meters.

The object of my present invention is to provide a cheap and reliable form of meter having a registering mechanism consisting of a single train and worm with two wormwheels, both of which actuate the said train in the same direction, the said meter being adapted to measure the energy consumed at dil'lerent rates during different periods of the day, thereby enabling the central-station manager to obtain a greater profit upon his investment by having his generating apparatus in use as nearly continuously as possible during the twenty-four hours of the day. The method at present in vogue is to have a double-rate system in which customers using electrical energy during the early morning hours, or from, say, twelve at midnight until eight oclock a. m., can have it at onehalf the regular rate. This of course creates a demand for energy during the early morning hours and permits the station-manager to keep his plant in continuous operation.

My present invention is intended to be so operated or controlled from the central station that at any predetermined period of the day a change from one rate to the other can easily be made in the dial mechanism of the meter.

In a former application filed by me on June 11, 1898, Serial No. 683,161, I have shown and described a meter of the double-rate type and which differs from the present application by having two worms upon the motor-spindle instead of one,'as in the present application.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improvement, showing the generator and switch, which are located at thestation, and the meter with its electromag- 'tactically-operated dial-train located at the point of translation. Fig. 2 is a rear view in elevation of the inner portion of the registering-train, showing its electromagnetically-op crating mechanism. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the registering-train itself. Figs. eland 5 show the manner of mounting the wormwheels in the movable frame 35. Fig. 6 is a detail of the brass frame-punching 35 with its upper iron portion or armature 25.

The principal elements in my invention are a generator 1, circuit-leads 2 and 3, a motor comprising the series energizing-coils 4-, the

armature 18, the spindle 20, the commutator 1.9, and the worm 36, secured near the upper end of the said spindle, a registering meclr auism 24 of special construction, means for varying the rate of revolution or speed of the said mechanism by employing a double-coil electroi'nagnet, and a double-throw sin'gle pole switch for controlling the operations of the said electromagnet from a distance.

In the following description of my invention the generator 1 supplies current by means of the leads 2 and 3 to the series field-coils 4 of the motor and the translating devices 5.

The shunt-wires 6 and 7 supply the armature 18 with a current proportional to the electromotive force between the leads 2 and 3. The resistance 8, placed in series wit-h the armature, is for governing the amount of current through said armature and its resulting speed. .Upon the spindle 20 are also mounted, with the armature, a commutator 19 and a worm 36, Fig. 3. As the motor part of my invention is of the ordinary commutated-motor construction, its operation is too well understood to require a detailed description thereof.

When the meter is in operation during the latter part of the day or the period of normal rate, the switch-handle 15 is thrown to the left, as shown in Fig. 1. rent operating the mechanism will flow as follows: from the generator 1, through the lead 2, wires 6 and 9, through the magneteoil 23, the wire 10 to ground G from the ground G, wire 17 to the switch-blade, then By so doing the cur- IOO to the negative side of the system or generator by the wire 14-, Fig. 1. The current through the coil 23 attracts the iron armature 25, which is fixed to the said frame 35, which supports the worm-wheels 30 and 31, the intermediate wheel 3?,and the driving-wheel 233. The armature 95 is apparently in Fig. 2 attracted toward the left-hand side, but is in reality attracted toward the right-hand side,

since Fig. 2 is arear view of the registeringtrain. The following is a brief description of its operation with special reference to Fig. 2: The supporting-frame for the armature 25 and for the wheels E30, 31, 32, and 33 consists of two punchings 35, riveted together in any suitable manner, and is pivoted at the point or pinion J-t, Fig. 4. The armature 25, being against the magnet-coil 23, causes the worm-wheel 3]. to form ameshingcngagement with the worm 30, Fig. 3, and when the armature is attracted by the coil 22 theworm-wheel 30 will form a meshing engagement with the worm 136. The object of the intermediate gear-wheel 32 is to permit the driving-wheel 2.333 to rotate and actuate the wheels 39 in the same direction regardless of whether it is the worm-wheel 230 or the worm-wheel 31 that is in operation. The wheels 30 and Si rotate in opposite directions. If the worm-wheel 31 has fifty teeth, for example, and the spindle makes titty revolutions, the worm-wheel 31 will make one revolution, and if the intermediate wheel 32, with fifty teeth, meshes with the pinion 37, which also has fifty teeth, the said wheel 32 will also make one revolution to tifty revolutions of the spindle 20 and will turn the drivingwvheel 33 half a revolution if the latter has one hundred teeth;

When the armature is against the m agnetcoil 22, which is accomplished by changing the switch-handle to the other side of the switch it then the current from the generator traverses the lead 2, wires (3, 0, and 11 to the said coil 22, then by the wires 12 and 1 3 and 1% to the negative terminal of the generator. The worm-wheel 230 is thus brought to mesh with the worm 230. If the revolutions of the spindle are titty, asin the foregoinginstance, the said wheel will also make one revolution, since it has fifty teeth; but as the pinion 238 has only twenty-five teeth and makes one revolution it will turn the driving-wheel 33 only one-quarter of a revolution instead of one-half, as was the case when the wormwheel 31 was operated by the worm 80. This arrangement gives a rate of one-half the normal for the energy used when the switch is on A. M.; but it is understood that by proportioning the number of teeth on the pinions any rate of charge may be provided for.

The dri\-'ing-wheel 33 has a pinion 3f),whieh meshes with the trainavheels 29 in the usual manner. A bracket 28 is provided as abearing for the pinion 3t,which carries the wheels 33 and 39, and also as a support for the frames 35,which contain the other wheels. The upper end of the spindle is held in position by an arch 26, which is rigidly secured to the dial by means of the screws 27.

\Yhat I desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a double-rate integrating-meter, a motor; a registering-train consisting oftwo wor1nwheels, an intermediate wheel, and a drivingwheel for the purpose set forth; a worm actuated by the said motor and adapted for a cooperation with the said registering-train; and a double-coil electromagnet for causing either of the two worm-wheels to form a meshing engagement with the said worm.

In a double-rate integrating-meter registering-train the combination of the wormwheels 30, and 31.; an intermediate wheel t) for the purpose set forth; the driving-wheel 33; theindicating-wheels 2t) 3 a movable frame 35, the adjustment of which causesa meshing engagement of said wheels with a suitable driving mechanism.

In a double-rate integrating-meter the combination of a single registering-train provided with two worm-wheels 30 and 31; a driving-wheel 33,;111intermediate wheel 32; a mo tor-spil'idle; a worm integral with the said spindle and driving the said wheel 33; a mow able frame 235 for supporting said worm-wheels 30 and 3t and said wheels 32 tlllt. 33, and means for moving the said frame 35, whereby either of the said worm-wheels 30 or 3]. may be engaged with the said worm for the purpose set forth.

4c. In a double-rate integratinganeter registering-train the indicating-wheels 29; the driving-wheel 3 the intermediate wheel 32; the worm-wheel $30; the wornrwheel 3 and a movable portion or frame 15 carrying with it in its adjustments the said wheels :30, 31 33 and as set forth.

5. In a doublet-ate integratinganetcr the combination of a motor-spindle; a worm integral with said spindle; a single dial mechanism of the class shown and provided with two worm-wheels 30 and 3l; means whereby either of the said worm-wheels CEO and 31 may be engaged with the said worm the said wormwheels being arranged to alternately operate the said single dial mechanism, as set forth.

(3. The combination in a double-rate motormeter of a spindle; a worm fixed upon and revoluble with said spindle; a single registering mechanism or train comprising suitable indicating-wheels 25], a driving-wheel 33, an intermediate wheel 32; worm-wheels S0 and 231; and means for alternatelymeshing the said worm-wheels 30 and 31 with the said worm at predetermined intervals, as and for the purpose set forth.

Signed by me, atFort Vaync, Allen county, State oflndiana, this 12th day of August, A. 'D. 1898.

THOMAS DUNCAN.

Witnesses:

(/nanLns C. MILLER, EDwAnD A. BanNEs.

TCO 

